From Israel: Outrage, Once Again.

I was planning to focus on a matter of concessions our government is apparently planning to make. But that has been relegated now to a position below. For a terror attack that takes Jewish life must be the first focus of attention.

Courtesy.

On Friday, there was a multi-prong terrorist attack in Jerusalem.
At one site, near the Damascus Gate, Border Police Office Hadas Malka, 23, was stabbed. After having attempted to fight the terrorist, she succumbed to her wounds at the hospital.

It is possible that in a couple of days Abbas will release a mealy-mouthed half condemnation.

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If you are an American citizen, I urge you to write to President Trump.

Speak respectfully and keep it short.

Briefly share the information above about the behavior of Fatah and Abbas, along with the related URLs.

Let him know that it is no more than a delusion: the notion that Abbas is moderating and can play a constructive role in advancing peace. Say that whatever his good intentions – his desire for a peace accord, a disservice is done to Israel when Mahmoud Abbas is treated as a party to be trusted.

Now, about concern regarding concessions… I will share what I have, what I had intended to write. But I speculate (perhaps hope) that there may be changes in Netanyahu’s readiness to make concessions in light of what has happened in the last couple of days. That would be most appropriate.

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I’ve been writing about the rumors that some of Area C in Judaea and Samaria, which is under full Israeli control, was going to be turned into Area B, under PA civilian control, for Arab building. But I found myself unable to secure any confirmation of these rumors. Until the middle of last week.

That’s when news broke that indeed did confirm what had been suggested in those rumors:

Credit: rts.ch

Permits were going to be granted for 14,000 new housing units, which would house up to 50,000 people, to be built in the Arab city of Qalqilya, doubling the size of the city.

Qalqilya is in Area B, but the expansion would bring it into Area C.

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There are multiple reasons to object to this plan, including that:

Land that was intended for Israeli growth should not be turned over to the PA for Arab growth.

Allowing the PA a foothold in Area C enhances their plans for a de facto state.

The plan of 14,000 units for Arabs represents many times the number of units planned for Jews. This inequity enrages the leaders of Judaea and Samaria.

See this article about anger that the prime minister reneged on a pledge to build in Beit El:

Qalqilya has a reputation as a terrorist stronghold and there have been numerous incidents at the Qalqilya checkpoint.

Thus there is particular concern that the proposed construction would bring Qalqilya very close to the Jewish community of Tzofim.

This city is close to the security barrier. There is a regulation on the books banning any construction within 200 meters (218 yards) of that barrier. But this proposed construction would allow homes to be built up to 50 meters (54 yards) from the security barrier.

Is this construction so “important,” for some totally enigmatic reason, that it is valid to dispense with the regulation?

There is a deep concern that this plan was pushed through without adequate serious discussion on its ramifications by the full cabinet.

Yossi Dagan, head of the Samaria Regional Council, in responding to this information, asked (emphasis added):

“Have we gone completely mad?”

“You can’t speak in two voices: on the one hand claiming you’re doing everything for the settlements and on the other stopping construction in the settlements while advancing Arab construction.”

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So, we must ask the question: What is going on here?

What is fueling this? And precisely what does our prime minister think we owe a terror-supporting, duplicitous PA?

Other questions: how much is Netanyahu advancing this on his own initiative, because in the end it sits well with him, and how much because he is subject to intense pressure that he does not have the backbone to resist?

When Obama was president, it was said that Netanyahu was afraid to cross him because there was no telling what he would do to damage Israel if angered.

But now the president of the US is seen as a friend. There is some reason to question whether he is a true friend, although he is most certainly not an enemy, Obama-style. Is Netanyahu now afraid to cross him because he values that perceived friendship?

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There has much talk about the fact that Trump is, above all else, a “deal-maker,” and that his prime concern is making that “deal.” If this is so, it means he would not have a problem putting Israel in a tough position, for the sake of “winning.”

Jason Greenblatt is Trump’s envoy for promoting negotiations. As he studied at the yeshiva at Har Etzion some years ago, assumptions were made about his perspective on Israel.

We have already been learning that our initial perceptions were off, regarding this traditionally religious man who is working towards “two states.”

But I want to thank Susie Dym, who shared a link to an article about Greenblatt, which ran in the Forward before the election. It included this direct quote (emphasis added):

“If you take out the emotional part of it and the historical part of it, it is a business transaction. Land is going to be negotiated…”

Boy, does he not get it. More colloquially: Oi Vey. But this is said by some to be Trump’s attitude.

There seems no question but that the Trump administration is pressuring our prime minister big time for the sake of that “business transaction.”

Greenblatt is due here again very soon.

It is possible that the timing of the announcement of the Qalqilya expansion is connected to Greenblatt’s imminent arrival. This is how things tend to work.

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Trump is not anti-Israel. He’s trying to be “even handed.” To his credit, he is leaning on Abbas as well.

The problem is that Netanyahu bends, whereas Abbas merely pretends to bend (sometimes) – and until now at least seems to have convinced Trump’s naïve people that he has done so.

If Netanyahu imagines that he is compelled to make “gestures,” he should at least make only ones that are revocable. Giving land for Arab housing is irrevocable, once the building is done. And when there is regret later, because the gesture will have been for nothing, there is no way to undo the situation.

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There are a number of government ministers who are decidedly unhappy with what is going on – Ze’ev Elkin, Naftali Bennett, Yariv Levin, Tzipi Hotovely, etc.

In light of the current political situation, I will not comment further on this now. Rather let us wait and see how this evolves.

It is even possible – perhaps reasonable to expect – that if Greenblatt does come soon, he will have been somewhat soured on Abbas. Or perhaps his trip, aimed at bringing “peace,” will be delayed.

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There will be other good news to share next posting…

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(C) Arlene Kushner. This material is produced by independent journalist Arlene Kushner. Permission is granted for it to be reproduced only with proper attribution.

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7 comments

I am starting to wonder about Trump. He was all business down in Saudi Arabia a day before arriving in Israel….$147B worth of arms sales business, but confined himself to not much more than lovey dovey rhetoric with PM Netanyahu.

One can only hope that Trump doesn’t turn out to be not much more than a ‘snake oil’ salesman/carpet bagger. To date, he has done nothing for Israel…other than give cause for concern; i.e. his fascination with doing a ‘deal’ with the PA Arabs ….mixed in with a lot of flowery platitudes.

That he is flogging high tech arms to another Islamist Gulf State, should also be concerning to the Israeli Government. I suppose we shall just have to wait and see.

Hi Shirlee….No I don’t see a an issue between Trump and PM Netanyahu; in any way, at a personal level…..by comparison to Obama/Netanyahu….more what the Regional Councillor, Dagan spoke of in respect of the ‘gerrymander’ movements of Area’s B and C…..with an end result/cost of Arab expansion and Israeli settlement restriction….

From my understanding; based on recently repeated (garbled)commentary from the Trump administration, the focus of a ‘peace deal’ is substantially reliant upon a ‘re-carve’ up, movement, plus cessation of building activity within, near and of the Judea/Samira Sectional boundaries…as to facilitate a peace ‘deal’

I make no excuse for having next to no faith in Greenblatt…as for the universal good of Israel. From his repeatedly reported statements; I believe, his take on a ‘deal’ and enduring peace, are poles apart. I hope I am proved wrong.

Essentially, Trump is (forthrightly) speaking of a peace ‘deal’ based upon two State participation. On this point I am probably too entrenched in my beliefs….that there will never be a ‘deal’ between the PA and Israel…. for the base reason that the power brokers within Fatah/PFLP would see Abbas being strung up to the nearest lamp post, if he so much as genuinely moved in that direction….i.e. no matter how much President Trump wants a ‘deal’….it will never happen….the PA purposely not having one iota of the conception of what is involved in an enduring agreement.

Their 1964 concords from the famous Cairo gathering are still as fresh, and believed/adhered to by PA/PFPL…. as if they were agreed upon only yesterday…..if not more so. The good Dr. Habash’s words are too deeply seared into the mental framework of Palestinian Arabs.

Where as I (fervently) hope Trump is not taking advantage of PM Netanyahu’s good will towards brokering a ‘deal’, as I believe Trump is allowing himself to believe he is capable of arriving at a ‘deal’ with the PA in the first place.

Yes, hope and optimism are worth holding onto. Netanyahu I believe will be totally mindful of Israel’s best interests….President Trump more consumed with the (commercial like) application of the meaning of the word deal.

Greenblatt and Kushner should have now already arrived in Israel. The coming weeks…if not days, should throw more light on this subject.

However I think he is naive. He thinks this can be tied up like a business deal. I also think he is going to come down to earth soon with a huge thud, when it finally sinks in that the Arabs don’t want peace.

Arlene has done a mighty bit of research on this one and I don’t think the article reads as a fulsome endorsement of Trump or Greenblatt. Arlene seems to focus on Qalqilya as an act with a lot of question marks as to why it was done and as a gesture to whom?

While Shirl in Oz is clearly right and Trump and Bibi have known each other for years, I thing Graham more correctly reflects Arlene’s concerns at the moment. Why Qalqilya?

The sale of arms is neither here nor there…..the F15s for Qatar is “paying the rent” for Al Udeid. While the Saudi package is far more problematic, that deal appears to have opened up relationships with Saudi. Israel and Saudi gets 270M hits at the moment.

My only thought in this is to recall that at one time Israel and Iran were the best of mates and that has led us nowhere. Now it looks like we are about to become “besties” with Saudi.

I agree why “Qalqilya”? It’s a time when everyone is screaming to hang on to area c of Judaea and here Netanyahu is considering ‘giving some away’

I don’t get it.

Israel has always had a relationship with Saudi Arabia, though it wasn’t that overt. They’ve done trade deals for years and Israel technical know-how was heavily involved in building their desalination plants, as She was in most of the oil rich states. They all used the Israeli reverse osmosis membrane. The same here in Oz, except for South Australia.

Don’t forget that Saudi Arabia permitted Israel to use its air space in the bombing of the Osirak reactor in 1981.

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